NZFSA New Zealand dairy testing statement

New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) has conducted a series of tests for melamine in a range of New Zealand dairy products, with none indicating deliberate melamine adulteration, says Dr Geoff Allen, NZFSA Director (Compliance & Investigation).

“Without exception, all results fall below the safety threshold set by NZFSA, and also fall below any safety limits set by other food safety regulators around the world including US and EU.

“112 tests across all eligible dairy products and all major manufacturers have been completed, and sampling is continuing. All of these were negative for melamine.

“With regards to the industry reports of the presence of incidental trace levels of melamine in lactoferrin, NZFSA confirms that one result from four tests of lactoferrin has returned a result at around the limit of detection of 1 ppm. This does not constitute a health hazard, particularly as lactoferrin is used as a minor ingredient and is not consumed as a food on its own.

“It is NZFSA’s belief that this trace level may have arisen out of this specific unique process and is continuing to work with the industry concerned to better understand the biochemistry as to why this is happening.

“From all 116 tests there is clearly no indication of any deliberate adulteration whatsoever and based on results to date we are confident that all New Zealand dairy products are fully compliant.”